Page 44 - Pastoral Guide 2025-2026

Rewards and Sanctions continued...
More serious sanctions: gatings and rustications
For more serious incidents, pupils may be gated or rusticated. A gating is where the pupil is confined to the House after lessons/ activities with a gating card to be signed at regular intervals. The pupil is allowed to attend College activities and educational trips but is not allowed to leave the House for social reasons. Gatings are issued by a senior member of staff for serious disciplinary incidents such as alcohol, vaping, smoking, bullying, absent without leave etc.
Rustication is where a pupil is excluded from school and sent home to parents or a guardian for a period of time for very serious or persistent offences. This follows a disciplinary process which culminates in a meeting with the Deputy Head. Pupils and parents should be reassured that serious sanctions are not routinely asked for or reported in university references. If a rustication does take place, then our aim is that a pupil reflects on the incident, and continues to learn and develop the Malvern Qualities as they mature in their time at the College.
Room searches
All schools have the power to screen and search pupils, and to confiscate banned items. At Malvern College, this sometimes takes the form of room searches which can be used when there are reasonable grounds to do so. Room searches are time-consuming and not enjoyable for the members of staff, but they can be an important deterrent to possession of prohibited items. Searches are conducted in such a manner as to minimise embarrassment or distress and staff will discuss with pupils why the search is taking place. There will always be two members of staff present (one of whom will usually be the HouseM or Deputy HouseM) as well as the pupil. The search will be recorded, and parents/guardians will be informed about the search and the outcome.
Searching and confiscating electronic devices
An electronic device such as a mobile phone or laptop may be confiscated if there is good reason to suspect that the device has been, or could be used to cause harm, to disrupt teaching or break College Rules. Data or files on the device may be searched and, where appropriate, data or files may be erased before the device is returned to its owner. If inappropriate material is found on an electronic device, the member of staff may delete the material, retain it as evidence of a breach of College discipline or criminal offence or hand
it over to the police if the material is of such seriousness that police involvement is required. The search will be recorded, and parents/ guardians will be informed about the search and the outcome.
44
PASTORAL GUIDE TO MALVERN COLLEGE